Rail-joint.



H. F. NELSON.

' RAIL JOINT.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 9, I914.

Patented June 22, 1915.

Witnesses Attorneys G roN, D. c.

HENRY F. NELSON, OF ANGOLA, LOUISIANA.

RAIL-JOINT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 22, 1915.

Application filed October 9, 1914. Serial N 0. 865,900.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY F. NELsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Angola, in the parish of West Feli'ciana and State of Louisiana, have invented a new and useful Rail-Joint, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements n rail joints and aims to provide a joint 1n which the fish plates are locked in a novel manner upon the rail ends.

The invention further aims to provide a joint which does not tighten as a train passes thereover and conversely, does not loosen after the Weight of the train has been removed therefrom. The joint is so composed that the clamping members or fishplates may be brought'into rigid contact with the rail ends, regardless of any irregularities which may occur therein and engage the rail with various degrees of tightness.

With the foregoing and other objects in View which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination. and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, can be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings accompanying this specification and forming a part thereof, the pre ferred embodiment of my invention has been illustrated.

In said drawings: Figure l is a side elevation of the meeting ends of a pair of rails with my improved joint holding the same in rigid relation. Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the foregoing. Fig. 3 is a cross sectional View taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4: is a side elevation of a rail, the view illustrating the enlarged openings extending through the web of the rail. Fig. 5 is a View in perspective of one of the clamping members. Fig. 6 is a view in perspective of the other cooperating clamping member. Fig. 7 is a view in perspective of the locking key by means of which the locking ring is held against accidental rotation.

Referring to the drawings in which similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the meeting ends 8 of a pair of rails,

is provided with a number of upstanding trapezoidal projections 12 equipped in the respective fish plates with cooperatingpins and sockets l3 and 14.. These pins 13 are adapted to project through the apertures 9 in the webs of the rails and fit loosely therein so as to allow for the expansion and contraction of the rails due to thermal causes. The clamping members or fish plates 10 and 11 are of that type in which .an under or bottom plate 15 projects beneath the rail flange. These under or bottom plates are provided respectively with semi-circular plates or bosses l6 and16, the curved edges of which are beveled as at 17.-

A locking ring 18 is shown and the same is provided with an'undercut central opening 19 comprising two semi-circular and offset portions 20 and 21. Thus two diametrically opposed shoulders 21 are defined in the ring 18. The relative position of the plates 16 and 16 is such that when the clamping plates 10 and 11 engage the rail ends and when the pins 13 extend through the railapertures 9 and the openings 14:, the parts 16 and 16 will be offset, as illustrated in Fig. 2; The locking ring 18 may be readily positioned upon the plates 16 and 16 with the shoulders 21 close to the offset edges of the plates. Thena rotation of the ring will draw the clamping members 10 and 11 together, transversely, and thus securely lock the ends of the rails in rigid relation.

In order to efiect a forced rotation of the locking ring it is provided with wrench engageable portions 22 in the form of outstanding teeth which may be engaged by a' spanner. One of the fish plates is provided with a slot 23 adapted to register with any one of a series of slots 24 which are provided in the locking ring 18. A key 25 is driven down through the fish plate aperture 28 and enters one of the apertures 24 with which the ring 18 is provided. The key 25 is thus adapted to lock the ring against rotation. The undercut and beveled walls of the locking ring 18 and the plates 16 and 16' prevent the locking ring from being accidentally detached. The portions 20 and 21 which form the central opening 19 of the ring 18 are of relatively greater diameter than the diameter of the plates 16 and 16, thus allowing the ring to be readily removed or replaced when the ring is concentric with the plates 16 and 16. The rotation of the ring 18 alters these conditions and results in the plates 10l1 being drawn into rigid relation to clamp the rail ends therebetween.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a device of the class described, a pair of fish plates provided with locking bosses; and a locking ring rotatable on the bosses, the locking ring engaging the bosses with a cam-like action.

2. In a device of the class described, a pair of fish plates provided with locking bosses; a locking ring rotatable on the bosses, the locking ring engaging the mosses with a camlike action; and means for holding the ring against rotation.

8. In a device of the class described, a pair of fish plates provided with looking bosses; a locking ring rotatable on the bosses, the locking ring engaging the bosses with a camlike action; and a key engaging one fish plate and the ring to hold the latter against rotation.

4:. A device of the class described, comprising clamp members adapted to receive the rail ends and engage the same, locking plates carried by said clamp members, and a locking ring engaging said locking plates drawing the same, and the clamp members, together.

5. A device of the class described, compris ing clamp members adapted to receive the rail ends and engage the same, locking plates carried by said clamp members, a locking ring engaging said locking plates drawing the same, and the clamp members, together, and means for holding said ring against rotation.

6. A rail oint comprising fish plates, locking plates projecting therebeneath and 0E- set one with relation to the other, a locking ring with offset communicating apertures engaging said locking plates and drawing the same together by cam-like action.

7. A rail joint comprising a fish plate with semi-circular locking plates oli'set one with relation to the other, and meeting along straight diametric edges, the curved edges of said plates undercut, a locking ring with a central opening formed of two communicating offset apertures with undercut walls adapted to engage said locking-plates to hold the same rigidly together.

8. A rail oint comprising a fish plate with semi-circular locking plates ofiset one with relation to the other, and meeting along straight diametric edges, the curved edges of said plates undercut, a locking ring with a central opening formed of two communicating offset apertures with undercut walls adapted to engage said locking-plates to hold the same rigidly together, and a key engaging said locking ring and a fish plate, holding said locking ring against accidental rotation.

9. A rail joint comprising a fish plate with semi-circular locking plates ofi'set one with relation to the other, and meeting along straight diametric edges, the curved edges of said plates undercut, a locking ring with a central opening formed of two communicating offset apertures with undercut walls adapted to engage said locking-plates to hold the same rigidly together, a key engaging said locking ring and fish plate, holding said locking ring against accidental rotation, said ring provided with a wrench engageable portion for its forced rotation.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afiiXed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

HENRY F. NELSON.

Witnesses JNO. A. SINGLE-TON, W. W. PEGUR.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. i 

